Compost treatment apparatus

Abstract

A machine and method are disclosed whereby a deep continuous layer of waste material in a large field can be processed into compost without prearranging the material in windrows. Up to four times as much material in a given area can be treated compared to windrowed material. The machine forms an initial pathway through the deep layer of material by following one boundary of the material with the material treating mechanism and supporting tunnel frame set at an oblique angle to the pathway and the tracking wheels set at acute angles to the tunnel axis. The material undergoing treatment is continuously discharged rearwardly at an oblique angle. At the end of the initial pathway, the machine is turned and adjusted to a second operational mode and moved in a reverse direction along a second pathway contiguous with the initial pathway. The material along the second pathway is treated and continuously discharged rearwardly at an oblique angle into the initial pathway to fill in the same. The method is continued until the entire continuous layer of material is treated without disturbing its continuity.

I claim: 
     
       1. A machine for treating a continuous deep layer of waste material covering a wide area of the ground comprising a tunnel frame, mechanical waste treatment means carried by the tunnel frame, a steering and traction wheel and a cooperative trailing caster wheel disposed on each side of the tunnel frame, independent power drive and steering means for each steering and traction wheel, power means to raise and lower said steering and traction wheels and said caster wheels on each side of the tunnel frame relative to the tunnel frame, additional power means bodily supporting each steering and traction wheel and associated caster wheel at each side of the tunnel frame and being operable to longitudinally shift such wheels forwardly and rearwardly along the sides of the tunnel frame to and from right and left hand use modes on the tunnel frame, said steering and traction wheels in both the right and left hand use modes being positioned to track at an acute angle to the tunnel axis of said frame, and means to releasably lock said additional power means in said right and left hand use modes. 
     
     
       2. A machine as defined in claim 1, and said mechanical waste treatment means comprising spaced parallel treatment rotors extending across the axis of the tunnel defined by said tunnel frame. 
     
     
       3. A machine as defined in claim 1, and said independent power drive and steering means comprising a wheel motor coupled with each steering and traction wheel, a steering arm on each steering and traction wheel, and a pair of back-to-back connected power cylinders having corresponding rod ends coupled to the steering arm and other corresponding rod ends coupled to members rigid with said tunnel frame. 
     
     
       4. A machine as defined in claim 1, and said power means to raise and lower said steering and traction and said caster wheels comprising an upright axis lift cylinder having a piston rod secured to each wheel. 
     
     
       5. A machine as defined in claim 4, and the upright axis lift cylinders being bodily mounted on said additional power means. 
     
     
       6. A machine as defined in claim 1, and said additional power means comprising a parallelogram linkage coupled between opposite sides of the tunnel frame and said steering and traction and associated caster wheels. 
     
     
       7. A machine as defined in claim 6, and said additional power means further comprising a mode change power cylinder connected between each side of the tunnel frame and one part of the adjacent parallelogram linkage, said mode change cylinders being operable to shift said parallelogram linkages horizontally forwardly and rearwardly on said tunnel frame to correspondingly shift said steering and traction wheels while simultaneously turning them about vertical axes of rotation. 
     
     
       8. A machine as defined in claim 6, and cooperative bearing pads on top and bottom parts of the parallelogram linkage and opposing stationary parts of the tunnel frame sides. 
     
     
       9. A machine as defined in claim 1, and said means to releasably lock said last-named means comprising cooperative fixed and rotating locking elements on the sides of the tunnel frame and on said additional power means, and power cylinder means operatively connected with said rotating locking elements to move the same to and from locked and release positions. 
     
     
       10. A machine as defined in claim 1, and said additional power means including a parallelogram linkage carried by each side of said tunnel frame and adapted to be shifted forwardly and rearwardly thereon, a mode change power cylinder coupled between each linkage at one side of the tunnel frame to operate the linkage, a steering arm on each steering and traction wheel for turning such wheel around a vertical turning axis on the parallelogram linkage, and said independent power drive and steering means for each steering and traction wheel including a power cylinder means coupled between said steering arm and a member rigid with the tunnel frame. 
     
     
       11. A machine as defined in claim 1, and an operator's cab mounted on said tunnel frame, and power means connected with said cab to rotate the cab through ninety degrees of rotation about a vertical axis of rotation.